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Council renews animal‑care services contract; monthly fee increases, emergency funds retained
Summary
Seal Beach approved a three‑year professional services agreement with Westminster Adoption Group and Services (WAGS) to continue city animal‑care services; monthly fees increase from $9,000 to $11,500 and the contract includes emergency veterinary and hoarder response funds.
Chief Henderson presented a proposed three‑year professional services agreement extension with Westminster Adoption Group and Services (WAGS) to continue animal‑care services after the city launched an in‑house program in July 2023.
Henderson said WAGS was the only respondent to the city’s RFP and has capacity to care for dogs, cats and exotic animals (rabbits, reptiles, small mammals) that the Seal Beach Animal Care Center does not handle. Under the negotiated agreement, monthly fees rise from $9,000 to $11,500 to reflect increased intake and industry cost pressures; the contract allows year‑2 and year‑3 increases tied to CPI not to exceed 5% and includes two one‑year extension options.
Henderson said the city will maintain a $40,000 fund allocated for emergency veterinary services (used only as needed) and a $10,000 fund allocated for large hoarder incidents. He said emergency veterinary care prices themselves are not increased in the new contract.
Council discussion addressed microchipping, feral‑cat handling and service differences between WAGS and the Seal Beach Animal Care Center. Henderson said the city and WAGS use portable microchip scanners and that WAGS has provided free microchipping events at community occasions; however, Seal Beach does not currently require microchipping for animal licensing.
Action: Councilmember Wong moved approval and Mayor Landau seconded. The motion carried unanimously (5‑0).
What it means: The city retains a single provider to handle all stray and surrendered animals, including species beyond dogs and cats, with higher monthly fees and dedicated contingency funds for emergencies and large‑scale hoarding responses.
